Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh to be honoured with Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh to be honoured with Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
Notably, Double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh are among the four athletes being finalised for the honour of Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award by the Sports Ministry on Thursday. Men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic gold medal winner Praveen Kumar will also be honoured with the prestigious award.
Notedly, Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour for sportspersons in India. The sports ministry also named 32 athletes, including 17 para-athletes, for Arjuna awards.
Recently, there was a huge furore after some news reports claimed that Manu’s name was missing from the list of athletes recommended for Khel Ratna. Manu’s father Ram Kishan and coach Jaspal Rana were furious over the snub. However, Manu Bhaker admitted that there might have been a lapse in her part while filing for the nomination.
With due regards to ongoing issue for her nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award-she would like to state that as an athlete her role is to play and perform for her country. Awards and recognition keeps her motivated but are not her goal. She believes there has been a lapse, maybe on her part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected.
Irrespective of the award she shall remain motivated to win more medals for her country.
Taking to her X Manu wrote, a request to everyone, to please not speculate on this matter
Markedly, the 22-year-old Bhaker emerged independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events in August.
In the same Games, Harmanpreet led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal.
The 18-year-old Gukesh, on the other hand, emerged as the youngest ever World champion while also helping the Indian team win a historic gold in the Chess Olympiad last year.
The fourth recipient will be para high-jumper Praveen, who was crowned the T64 champion in the Paris Paralympics. The T64 classification is for athletes who have one or both legs missing below the knee and rely on a prosthetic leg for running.
Manu Bhaker wrote in a post on X.
In a press release the Sports Ministry stated that the wardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 Friday at 1100 hours.
News Edit KV Rama
